During the days of the American Industrial evolution, names such as Carnegie, Morgan, and Rockefeller regularly appeared in leading newspapers around the country. These were family dynasties who literally cornered the market on essential industries, including railroads, iron ore, and coal. If the industrialist in question used his political and corporate influence for his own selfish ends, he could be described as a robber baron. If the same powerful industrialist used his wealth to improve the lives of others or to bolster the economy in a positive way, he could just as easily be designated a captain of industry.

A captain of industry, at least as understood during the late 19th century, was a powerful force to be reckoned with in his chosen field of interest. In an era where business monopolies were rarely if ever regulated by the government, a man of means could use any number of business practices to gain substantial control over a key resource or manufacturing process. These practices were not always legal or ethical, but the results were usually favorable for the magnate and his family. Such industrialists and robber barons were often one and the same, depending on their interest or disinterest in the welfare of others.

Ad

When many people think of a legitimate captain of industry, the name Andrew Carnegie often appears. Carnegie held a virtual monopoly on the steel industry, but used his considerable wealth to fund hospitals, museums, schools, and other public institutions around the country. Carnegie's generosity and philanthropy established his good reputation, even if his own business practices and monopolistic tendencies kept him under government scrutiny.

As the federal government and private business regulators began to systematically dissolve business monopolies, the era of the robber baron eventually came to an end. Leading industrialists continued to practice some form of philanthropy, mostly in the form of generous endowments or scholarships, but there were far fewer individuals who could still be described as captains of industry.

Today, there are a handful of successful industrialists and entrepreneurs who could honestly be described with this term. Many people consider the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, to be such a person, since he and his wife continue to fund public works through their Gates Foundation. Others consider leading businessmen such as Donald Trump or T. Boone Pickens to be the modern equivalents, as each has made substantial contributions to environmental or social programs. The concept primarily has to do with the perception of the selflessness by the industrialist in question.

Discuss this Article

anon323746Post 6

Yes, the Captains of Industry supported horrible working conditions and unfair treatment of their workers, but in the end they helped America for the better.

When the United States government failed, J.P. Morgan bailed out the government, loaning them $3.5 million dollars. Andrew Carnegie was a major philanthropist supporting the arts and sciences. Despite their unfair treatment of their workers, the Captains of Industry did provide jobs to boost America's economy.

anon313302Post 5

Yes, that is expecting too much. Government has no say in what private business does with their profits. And almost every big business and industry around does support education and public services through generous contributions.

Why do we vilify success? When did profits become evil? These industries provide jobs, both white and blue collar. They provide a product or service. The U.S. already has the second highest corporate tax rate in the world. Now you want government to mandate what business should do with the earnings they haven't already confiscated. Ridiculous.

SteamLouisPost 3

John D. Rockefeller was a captain of industry. I have nothing but respect for someone who always saved 1/10 of earnings for charitable causes. His charities include a university and foundation, he spent more than $500 million throughout his lifetime to support these causes, not to mention leading the U.S. oil industry. I wish all industrialists aspired to be like Rockefeller.

turquoisePost 2

"A captain of industry and a robber baron were often one and the same..." I don't feel that the era of the robber baron has come to an end at all. The system has certainly changed which requires the robber baron or captain of industry to play by different rules, but by no means has the selfish motives disappeared. These elites still use their positions and power in different institutions for business gains. Philanthropy is great but I doubt that the motive behind this goodwill might be for favorable social standing. Are they simply doing society a favor? Perhaps there should be government requirement for leading industries to support and invest in public services like education and financial assistance to the poor. Or is that expecting too much?

Post your comments

Please enter the code:

Login

Register

Make changes/additions/deletions to the article below, and one of our editors will publish your suggestions if warranted.

Optional: Explanation of your recommended changes

Thank You!

One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted.
Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive,
this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!